Just like old times
by Soulfire Stories
Summary: read and review please.
1. ~*Movie Night*~

**"Just like Old Times"**   
**Chapter 1-**   
**By Dannette Lawrence**   
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**Summary: When Bessie goes out of town with Alex and Bodie and Pacey and Gretchen are also out of town on a road trip Joey and Dawson get together and old feelings might resurface.** ****

**Joey's intense brown eyes jumped back and forth scanning the pages of 'Jurassic Park'. Joey turned a page of the book, not seeing Bessie, her older sister, standing in front of her with Alex in her arms and two bags in tow.**   
**"Jurassic Park? Is a certain little sister of mine missing a certain blonde boy that lives across the creek?"**   
**Upon hearing Bessie's voice, Joey snapped her head up which was followed by her usual rolling of the eyes showing her aggravation.**   
**"I was bored. Pacey is on some road trip with his sister, Jen is doing the bonding thing with Grams and Jack is doing some wilderness thing where he has to stay out in the woods by himself without any of his friends to prove he can survive and then I saw this lying around. Are you ready to leave?"**   
**Bessie nodded looking over the book and tossed it on the couch snorting out a little laugh.**   
**"Well Bodie's waiting outside for me so I better go. Jo, you shouldn't just hang around the house all three days I'm gone, maybe you should go over to Dawson's"**   
**Joey rolled her eyes pushing herself up from the couch; she walked over to the kitchen and stared to search through the refrigerator.**   
**"You forget me and Dawson don't do the hanging out thing anymore, we haven't really hung out since the whole me and Pacey thing."**   
**Bessie walked over to the door and pushed it open but turned to Joey before leaving.**   
**"Maybe he's just waiting for you to come to him"**   
**With that Bessie left the house. Joey stared out the window and watched Bodie's truck speed off; she stared after them for a minute before turning back to the refrigerator. She stared at the food for a minute and then after much absently staring at nothing she grabbed a Pepsi and shut the refrigerator door and leaned over the kitchen counter. Joey popped the soda can open and took a sip letting her mind wander off. Maybe Bessie was right; maybe she should try to hang out with Dawson. Joey shook her head, he doesn't want to hang out with me of all people, and he has made that pretty clear. Joey took another sip of her soda and continued to think; or maybe he's just waiting for me to make the first move, to set the example. Joey absently walked over to the phone and picked the receiver up and dialed Dawson's phone number without even thinking.******

**Dawson sat on his bed flipping through pages of his photos; he stopped at a picture of Gretchen and smiled. Dawson glanced to his desk and stared at his video camera and went to grab for it but he was stopped when his phone rang. Dawson grabbed his phone wondering who would was calling him.**   
**"Hello?"**   
**Joey nervously fidgeted on the other side of the phone, why was this so hard? She has known Dawson forever after all.**   
**"Hello?"**   
**Dawson's voice repeated when he got no response from the person on the other side of the phone.**   
**"Dawson? Hey it's me Joey"**   
**Dawson stared at the phone incredulously, Joey was calling him? And out of the blue like this? Say something Dawson yelled at himself mentally.**   
** "Hey Jo. What's up?"**   
**"Nothing really. Bessie just left with Alex and Bodie for some romantic trip and Pacey is on that road trip with Gretchen and Jen and Jack have their own agendas and I thought I would give you a call"**   
**Dawson relaxed on his bed.**   
**"Well I feel so special Joey"**   
**Joey rolled her eyes.**   
**"Shut up Dawson you know what I mean"**   
**"Don't I always? Well it sounds to me you wanted to ask me something, so ask away"**   
**Joey stared at the phone clearing her throat.**   
**"Well I was wondering if I could like come over and hang out you know? Like old times"**   
**Dawson stared at the phone.**   
**"Um I don't think so Joey. I'm kind of busy, sorry"**   
**Joey closed her eyes.**   
**"No I'm sorry, bye"**   
**Joey clicked end on the phone quickly regretting the whole conversation. Dawson clicked end of his phone and went to put the phone back on the cradle and forget Joey ever called him but all of a sudden he turned to a page of his book and saw a picture of Joey he took, he sighed and clicked talk on the phone and dialed Joey's number. Joey heard her phone ring and hesitated for a second but then picked it up.**   
**"Hello?"**   
**"Jo? Hey"**   
**Joey stared at the phone in shock.**   
**"What do you want Dawson? I thought you were busy"**   
**"Well my agenda suddenly cleared up so if you still want to come on over."**   
**Joey smiled.**   
**"Really? Should I bring the movies?"**   
**"Nah. I got the movies, you bring the snacks and of course you. See you in a few Joey"**   
**"Okay bye Dawson, just like old times huh?"**   
**"Just like old times."**   
**"Okay bye Dawson"**   
**"Bye Jo"**   
**They both clicked end on their phones. Joey smiled and opened the cupboards and pulled out some popcorn and candy and threw them in her backpack and grabbed her keys and went to go but stopped when her phone rung again.******

**"Dawson, is that you again? I'm on my way, hold your horses"**   
**Pacey stared at the pay phone weirdly.**   
**"Um no Joey, it's me Pacey"**   
**"Oh hey Pace! How's the road trip going?"**   
**Pacey played around with the pay phone's cord.**   
**"Good. Thought I would give you a call, since Bessie left with Alex and Bodie, I thought you would be bored"**   
**"Oh I was, I was so bored I was reading Jurassic Park but then something came up"**   
**"A Dawson something. Since when do you guys hang out on a regular basis?"**   
**Joey noticed the jealousy in Pacey's voice.**   
**"We don't hang out on a regular basis Pacey you should know that of all people. I called him and asked him if we could hang out and he said yes. Pacey don't be jealous. I really got to go though Pacey"**   
**Pacey shook his head.**   
**"Okay Joey. I was also calling you to tell you that we're on our way home, so I'll come by your house early in the morning, you don't mind if I wake you do you?"**   
**"Not at all. Love you bye"**   
**"Love you bye"**   
**Pacey sighed when he heard Joey hang up the phone; Pacey rested his head against the glass.**   
**"She's going to Dawson's, great"**   
**Pacey turned around and walked towards the truck.**   
**"Let's get going, Gretchen"**   
**"Wait I have to make a call"******

**Dawson searched through his movies trying to pick the perfect movies; Dawson glanced at his phone when it started ringing; He walked over to the phone and picked it up.**   
**"Joey is that you again? Just come over here"**   
**Gretchen stared at the pay phone oddly.**   
**"No it's me Gretchen"**   
**Dawson shook his head hitting himself mentally.**   
**"Oh hey Gretchen. How's the road trip going?"**   
**"Good. So Joey is coming over to your house?"**   
**Dawson picked some movies out and threw them on his bed.**   
**"Oh yeah she is. We're going to have a movie night; weird I know but oh well. So what did you want? Not that I'm not happy to hear your voice"**   
**Gretchen smiled big; Dawson always knew how to make her blush.**   
**"To tell you that we're on our way home now. So I'll be at your house early in the morning, you don't mind me waking you up do you?"**   
**"Not at all. I really have to go though Gretchen, I think Joey's climbing up the ladder"**   
**"Well okay bye"**   
**"Bye"**   
**Gretchen stared at the phone a little hurt when Dawson quickly hung up. Gretchen shook her head and walked back to the truck and hopped in and started the car.**   
**"Let's go"******

**Joey climbed up the last steps of the ladder and stared into Dawson's bedroom window not being able to do this for a long time.**   
**"Are you coming in or not?"**   
**Joey looked at Dawson and rolled her eyes.**   
**"Hold your horses"**   
**"I'll try"**   
**Dawson laughed and helped Joey in.**   
**"What kind of snacks did you bring?"**   
**Joey walked over to Dawson's bed and handed him her backpack and looked at the movies.**   
**"E.T., Jurassic Park, I know what you did last summer, and all 3 Screams. Are we making a night out of this?"**   
**Dawson pulled out the chips and candy.**   
**"Why not? Put E.T. in?"**   
**Joey nodded and walked over to the VCR and popped E.T. in and walked back over to the bed sitting down next to Dawson.******

**::::Later that night:::******

**Dawson reached over to his desk and grabbed his video camera and turned it on silently and started recording Joey for some reason; she was lying on her stomach and was so busy watching Scream 2 that she didn't even notice Dawson taping her.**   
**"Ahh!"**   
**Joey screamed and turned away and saw Dawson taping her.**   
**"What are you doing? I thought you didn't film anymore"**   
**Dawson did a close up of Joey.**   
**"I got some inspiration."**   
**Dawson turned off the camera and put it back on his desk and went back to watching the movie, as did Joey.******

**The credits of "Scream 3" finished rolling and the tv screen went black; no one got up to turn the television off because Joey and Dawson laid sprawled out on the bed lying closely to each other dead asleep.**


	2. ~*Heartache~*

**"Just like Old Times"**   
**Chapter 2-**   
**By Dannette Lawrence******

**Summary: Things get complicated as Gretchen and Pacey return from their trip to find out that things aren't exactly the same as they left them. Joey and Dawson feel the repercussions of their 'movie night'** ****

**"So how is your and Dawson's relationship going?"**   
**Gretchen looked over at Pacey incredulously while honking at a slower car in front of them.**   
**"Since when do you care about me and Dawson? I thought you were against us having a relationship"**   
**Pacey looked out the window and saw Joey's house come into view.**   
**"I have cared since Joey went over to his house last night"**   
**Gretchen rolled her eyes and parked the truck right in front of Joey's house.**   
**"Jealousy is a really bad trait in a boyfriend, just thought I should tell you that. Joey has told you a million times that you are her future plus me and Dawson are together"**   
**Pacey opened the passenger truck door and hopped out slamming the door behind him, he peeked his head in the car and stared at Gretchen.**   
**"Well when it comes to Joey and Dawson anything can happen. These two are the queen and king of the on-off relationship."**   
**Before Gretchen could say a word Pacey walked away from the truck and up to Joey's door. Pacey raised his fist to knock on Joey's door as Gretchen sped off. Pacey knocked a few more times before grabbing the key underneath the plant pot.**   
**"She must still be asleep"**   
**Pacey unlocked the door and walked into the house, he shut the door behind him and walked over to Joey's bedroom door and pushed the door open and went to wake Joey up but to his shock she wasn't in her bed.******

**"He's being paranoid"**   
**Gretchen tapped her fingers on the rim of the steering wheel but the thought Pacey put in her mind wouldn't go away. Joey and Dawson. They had tons of history and even she knew there were some lingering feelings left. Gretchen shook her head and stopped the truck in front of Dawson's house and got out of the car and walked up to his door and knocked on the door warily.**   
**"Gretchen? What are you doing here this early?"**   
**Gale's voice was scratchy and had a tint of aggravation in it.**   
**"Sorry Gale but I came to see Dawson, is he still asleep?"**   
**Gale yawned loudly and ushered Gretchen in the house.**   
**"I think so but go on upstairs and wake him up, he needs to wake up anyways"**   
**Gretchen smiled and walked up the stairs to Dawson's bedroom not aware of what she was going to see next.**   
**"Dawson are you aw-"**   
**Gretchen stopped mid-sentence at what she saw; Joey laying on Dawson's bed, his arm around her body with a content look on his face.**   
**"Dawson?"******

**Dawson groaned as he fluttered his eyes open; Dawson looked at who he was lying next to and then he turned to see Gretchen.**   
**"Gretchen this isn't what it looks like"**   
**Dawson nudged Joey awake; Joey fluttered her brown eyes open to see that she was still at Dawson's but then she turned her head to see Gretchen who had a look of pain and anger mixed together painted on her face.**   
**"Then what is it Dawson? You guys decided to have a sleep-over?"**   
**Joey pushed herself up and grabbed her backpack.**   
**"I'm going to go bye Dawson"**   
**Dawson got up as well and the next words that came out of his mouth were totally unexpected.**   
**"Wait Jo, don't go"**   
**Gretchen staggered back and felt tears well up in her eyes when she saw the look Dawson was giving Joey. Pacey was right, she was right… there were some feelings left between them.**   
**"Yeah don't go, I will"**   
**Dawson turned around to see Gretchen run out, he turned to Joey.**   
**"I'll be right back… Gretchen!"**   
**Dawson ran out of his room and ran after Gretchen.**   
**"Gretchen please wait!"**   
**Dawson grabbed Gretchen's arm when he reached her outside, he forced Gretchen to face him.**   
**"I'm—"**   
**"Sorry? Is that what you ran after to say to me?"**   
**Dawson shook his head.**   
**"Nothing happened. She came over and we fell asleep watching movies, that's all. Joey and me are over. She is with Pacey now"**   
**"But if she wasn't would you be here with me now?"**   
**Dawson opened his mouth to say something but he stopped; he didn't know what to say. He would be lying if he said he still didn't love Joey, he had loved Joey in one way or another ever since he was a little boy and not loving Joey didn't seem possible. He thought he had lost her forever when she left Capeside with Pacey and then Gretchen entered his life and they both went their own ways occasionally saying hi and having a short conversation before one of them would excuse themselves but now here they were again and Dawson didn't know what to say or to think or to do, and that only happened when Joey Potter was near him.**   
**"Well that answers my question Dawson. We both knew that this wouldn't be forever, the night we decided to be a couple… remember that night? Pacey's 18th birthday party? Well we told ourselves that we knew this wasn't forever, that we were both leaving in the end of the year and all that mattered was now; Well now all that matters is now and the feelings you still have for Joey. Maybe you guys didn't do anything but it doesn't mean the thoughts weren't there… the doubts, the feelings, and the outcome. Know what I see Dawson? I see a high school boy who is still in love with his first love; sometimes letting go isn't the answer."**   
**Gretchen kissed Dawson on the cheek before walking off towards her truck not being able to say anything more to Dawson.**   
**"Joey…"**   
**Dawson turned around and walked back in the house and ran up the stairs and ran in his room and looked around the room and sighed heavily when he saw that Joey was nowhere to be found.**   
**"Great. Just great"**   
**Dawson plopped himself down on his bed and covered his face with a pillow. Why was his life so complicated? It was only supposed to be a movie night, like old times. Why did they have to fall asleep? Why did she feel so warm? Why did she have to look at him like that? Why did he have to love her so much? Dawson threw the pillow across the room in anger and then noticed his video camera on his desk and it had a note by it. Dawson grabbed the note and read the two words scribbled on it 'watch me', Dawson grabbed the video camera and turned it on and pushed play and saw Joey.******

**Joey brushed her hair back and put in a ponytail and stared back at the camera.**   
**"Hey Dawson. I hope everything works out between you and Gretchen, I hope she will be able to get past what she saw. Dawson, me and you, starting up a relationship again, it's just a bad idea. We should know, we did it a few times over the period of time since you first kissed me. Dawson, it's not about not loving each other, it's about knowing when to let go and when to hold on, and it's about decisions."**   
**Joey took a breath.**   
**"I have loved you my whole life, there is no doubt when I say this I still love you. My life is so intertwined with yours that sometimes I forget where I end and you begin and the last time I told you that it seemed like a bad thing, but I now realize that it's the best thing about us. We're soul mates."**   
**Joey laughed.**   
**"Never thought you would hear cynical Joey say that huh? I am going to tell Pacey what happened, I can't lie to him. I won't do to him what I did to you."**   
**Tears rolled down Joey's face.**   
**"I love you."**   
**Dawson finally made a sound once the tape ended. Dawson shut off his camera and looked down at his hands not knowing what to do. How could 'movie night' turned out to be this? Dawson looked at his window and hoping to see Joey crawl back up that ladder and tell him she couldn't leave. Dawson shook his head, why was he so stupid? Real life wasn't like that. Real life wasn't a fairy tale like the naïve 15 yr. Old boy that he used to be used to believe. There weren't happy endings; he now knew that. Pacey and Joey taught him that. They taught him that first loves never lasted. Dawson had felt his heart break when he saw his best friend and the girl he loved kissing outside his house; he thought he could never hurt that bad but now he felt even worse. He was content where he was in his life, he had Gretchen, him and Pacey were beginning to be friends again, his mom was expecting another child… life was pretty good for him but then she had to call him. She had to ask him if they could hang out…. She had to sound so hurt when he said he was busy… she had to climb up that ladder… she had to look so beautiful when she was watching Scream 2…. She had to feel so good close to him… she had to look at him that way… she had to be her…. Why were things so complicated? Dawson all of a sudden heard Gretchen's voice enter his head.**   
**_"Sometimes letting go isn't the answer"_**   
**Dawson grabbed his jacket and ran out of his room and back down the stairs and out of his house. Mitch looked over at Gale.**   
**"What in the world is going on?"**   
**Gale shook her head.**   
**"Love is going on."**   
**Mitch opened his mouth to ask another question but shut it instead not wanting to know at the moment, right now he just wanted to drink his cup of coffee in peace, without complication.******

**"Pacey! Please!"**   
**Pacey staggered back as he felt hot tears run down his cheeks, they felt like acid burning his face but he didn't dare wipe them away, he didn't know if he had the strength to.**   
**"How could this happen? I was only gone a day, how could everything go bad in a day?"**   
**Joey shook her head trying not to cry.**   
**"Nothing happened Pacey"**   
**Pacey laughed. Was he supposed to believe that?**   
**"Something did happen Joey!"**   
**Joey ran up to Pacey and shook her head.**   
**"No Pacey! All we did was sleep! Nothing else"**   
**Pacey remained where he was.**   
**"That is something! Every simple little thing is a big something with you and Dawson! I knew something like this would happen if you two became friends again. I knew you two would eventually realize you two were still in love with each other. Somehow this little act never gets old Potter"**   
**Joey looked at Pacey confused.**   
**"What little act?"**   
**"The little act you and Dawson play with each other. I love you but I can't be with you right now because it's just too complicating. You two dance around each other's emotions while me and Gretchen get the short end of the stick."**   
**"It wasn't like that Pacey! Dawson and I didn't plan this to happen, we're not starting up a relationship again. I'm with you"**   
**Pacey shook his head and turned to leave.**   
**"No you're not. I can't handle being second best. I asked you once if you could ever love me like you love him, you know what? You never answered me"**   
**With that Pacey walked out the door even though every cell in his body told him to go back and forgive Joey. She wants to be with you after all. But for how long? Pacey couldn't handle being dumped by Joey; he had to be the dumper. He just had to be. He had to be strong and walk away while he can. Joey watched after Pacey and realized he wasn't coming back… Joey felt the tears finally fall out of her eyes and down her face, staining her face. Joey slid to the ground and wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her face in her arms crying.******

**Dawson jumped out of his rowboat and ran up to Joey's house but stopped dead when he saw Pacey walking away with a look of pure heartbreak on his face. He knows. She told him.**   
**"Pacey wait!"**   
**Dawson ran up to Pacey and grabbed him by the arm.**   
**"I never meant to…. We never meant to…"**   
**Pacey turned around and felt the urge to punch Dawson out but something was stopping him.**   
**"What Dawson? Finish your sentence"**   
**"I never meant to fall in love with her again"**   
**Pacey shook his head.**   
**"Did you ever fall out of love with her? Honestly I don't think you did"**   
**"I don't think I did either. You knew what you were getting into Pacey. Did you really think that 16 years of love and friendship was going to go away just because you became her boyfriend?"**   
**Pacey smirked.**   
**"This was just some plan to get me back wasn't it? This was some plan to get revenge on me for kissing her isn't it? God you make me sick"**   
**Dawson released Pacey's arm.**   
**"No it wasn't some plan. It just happened. Did you plan to kiss Joey? Did you plan to betray me? Did you plan it all Pacey?"**   
**Pacey shook his head.**   
**"Neither did I. Actually I never planned to fall in love with her the first time. I never planned to have these emotions for her. I wish I could make them go away but I can't. I can't stop loving her, because that means I gave up, and I'm not ready to give up on her"**   
**Pacey began to walk away but turned back to Dawson.**   
**"Her choice changed everything… it still does."**   
**With that Pacey walked off not looking back to see the look on Dawson's face. He just needed time. He needed some time to himself and then everything would be okay. Dawson watched after Pacey and then he turned to see Joey's house. _Her choice changed everything… it still does._ Dawson ran up to Joey's door and walked in to see Joey sitting on the ground crying, Dawson walked over to Joey and sat down next to her. Dawson looked over at Joey and felt a huge urge to put his arms around her, but he knew she didn't need that right now, she needed to cry; she needed to let it out. To let it all out.**   
**"So what do we do now?"**


	3. ~*The morning after*~

**"Just like Old Times"**   
**Chapter 3-**   
**By Dannette Lawrence**

**Summary: Dawson and Joey are getting closer and the same old question has come up again... should we give it another try?**

**"So what do we do now?"******

**Joey had barely caught Dawson's question through her sobs, she was crying so hard and only half the reason she was crying was because of Pacey. She was mostly crying because of the situation her and Dawson were in, yet again they were brought back together. No matter how many times they told each other that it was over, somehow they were always brought back together and Joey was getting sick of it. She was sick of shedding tears over a lost love, she wanted it to be all over, she wanted the happy ending she so richly deserved, either it be with Dawson or by herself, she wanted the happy ending.**   
**"I-I don't know"**   
**A part of Joey wished that she never made that phone call, because if she never made that phone call she would still be with Pacey and not miserable and heartbroken. Joey knew she wasn't heartbroken over Pacey, they had fought so much lately, there had been so much tension and she knew it was only a matter of time until one of them would break it off and Joey had hoped it was Pacey, but in a way it was really her who had ended the relationship. She ended the relationship the minute she picked up that phone, she ended the relationship the second she entered Dawson's room, she ended the relationship when she fell asleep in Dawson's arms.******

**"Could you ever love me like you love him?******

**Pacey was right, she never answered him, back then she didn't know how to answer that question and she still didn't. Dawson was everything to her; he was the best friend, the unattainable crush, the boyfriend, the shoulder to cry on... everything. She had loved him for so many years that even when she wanted the love for him to stop, it wouldn't; it couldn't. Joey had wanted to hate him so badly when he forced her to send her own father to jail, but she didn't, she had pretended to but she never hated him, she could never hate him. She had tried not to think of him when she was away with Pacey, she had tried desperately to just let her mind think of Pacey and only Pacey but it didn't matter what she wanted or what she told herself, her mind always wandered to Dawson. It was like a disease for Joey Potter, she was plagued to love Dawson Leery for the rest of her life, it didn't matter how many boyfriends she had in the future, she would always measure them up to Dawson, always.******

**"Joey?"**   
**Dawson gazed at the still crying girl beside him, she seemed to be in deep thought and he really didn't want to disturb her from it but the odd silence between them was getting to him, he needed noise. Yelling. Screaming. Anything. Anything to get his mind off of putting his arms around Joey and cradling her in his arms and whispering in her ear, he knew he couldn't do that, that would just make things more complicated for him and Joey.**   
**"Dawson please can we just sit here? I just need to sit here, please stay with me"**   
**Dawson nodded and put his arms around Joey and closed his eyes when she leaned into him, Dawson leaned his head against the wall and swallowed hard when he felt Joey's hot tears soak through his tee shirt.**   
**"Yeah Joey we can"**   
**Dawson knew that she was already asleep, he knew she probably didn't hear the words, but he felt as if they needed to be said. Something needed to be said, it was so silent in Joey's house now, Joey's whimpers and sobs couldn't be heard anymore, only the rustling of the leaves outside and his deep breathing could be heard.**   
  
**Pacey threw himself down on his bed, he didn't even bother to kick off his shoes or take off his coat, he closed his eyes hoping everything would just go away. A day ago, he had everything he wanted; he had Joey, the girl he had fallen in love with and now everything was gone. Pacey didn't have Joey anymore, did he ever? Did he ever really have Joey? Sure she was there and she was with him but whenever they were together he knew she was somewhere else, or with someone else. Sometimes he would stare at her and see this dreamy look in her eyes, the kind of dreamy look she used to get whenever Dawson would look at her. He knew that look all too well, he remembered how Joey would start smiling like a big buffoon whenever her and Dawson were together, he had hated how Dawson had that sort of power over Joey.**   
**"Hey Pacey"**   
**Pacey forced his eyes open, he grumbled something under his breath as Gretchen made her way into his room. He really didn't want to talk to Gretchen, but then he saw the look on her face, she had got dumped.**   
**"Hurricane Dawson and Joey hit you as well?"**   
**Pacey moved over in his bed allowing some room for Gretchen to sit down. Gretchen stared at Pacey and knew he wasn't going to talk.**   
**"Well since you're not going to talk, I might as well do the talking. Dawson and me broke up, you were right Pace. I should of seen the signs, I mean I'm usually good at realizing that my boyfriend is in love with another girl but I guess I was so caught up in him I really didn't want to believe that his heart belonged to another. Sometimes it's hard to let go, it's not their fault that they haven't exactly moved on..."**   
**Pacey rolled over on his side staring at the wall.**   
**"It still hurts."**   
**Gretchen opened her mouth to say something to try to comfort Pacey, to ease his pain, but she knew there was nothing she could do, the pain would only go away when he decided to cope and she knew he wasn't ready for that.******

**:::The next day:::******

**Joey walked through the halls of Capeside High slowly, her eyes were back to their original color, they were no longer red and puffy from crying. She had her long hair pulled up in a ponytail and she wore a white long sleeved shirt with black pants. She looked like she usually did and in a way she felt like she used to do, it was like she was getting in touch with this part of her she had long forgotten, a part of her she pushed away when she got together with Pacey, a part of her that belonged to Dawson. It was funny, she had slept the best she had for months and ironically it was in Dawson's arms. He had held her all night, making sure she was safe and then he left early in the morning, leaving a short letter behind.******

**_Dear Jo-_****__**

**_I had to go home, I wish I could of stayed until you woke up, but I really had to get home before my mom and dad started calling everybody, you know how they are. I know things have gotten so complicated so fast but I promise you, we will get through this and we will get through this together. It takes two to tango. I know stupid, but for some reason it sums up things pretty well. Well I am going to go home, get dressed and then go to school, see you there._**   
**_-Dawson_****__**

**_P.S. Jo no matter what kind of things life throws at you, I will always be here._******

**Joey let her brown eyes scan through the hallway searching for Dawson, she pushed her way through the crowd of teenagers busily chatting about various things, none which really interested her, she just really wanted to see Dawson. Joey stopped searching when she saw the familar blonde haired boy at his locker, Joey smiled and walked over to the locker and leaned against the one right next to it.**   
**"Hi"**   
**Dawson looked up from his locker to see Joey, he smiled. She looked better, her eyes were no longer puffy and red and she seemed better; she was actually smiling and he thought he saw some sort of twinkle in her eyes, but he could of been mistaken.**   
**"Hi Jo. Sorry about leaving..."**   
**"I got the letter Dawson, I just want to say thank you for being there for me"**   
**Dawson smiled and shut his locker and turned to Joey, their eyes connected and for that second, it was like it was just them in the world, just like old times.**   
**"Have you talked or seen Pacey yet?"**   
**Joey shook her head and grunted something under her breath causing Dawson to look up, he smiled and waved at Jen who was making her way over to them.**   
**"Be nice Joey"**   
**Joey hit Dawson on the shoulder playfully and waved at Jen once she walked up to them.******

**"Hey Joey, Dawson. You guy seem awfully cozy"**   
**Jen smiled, showing that she was only playing around. Jen looked at Dawson and then to Joey and saw something between them.**   
**"Where's Pacey?"**   
**Joey felt her throat dry up at Jen's question.**   
**"I wouldn't know he dumped me"**   
**Joey hefted her backpack on her left shoulder and turned to Dawson before leaving.**   
**"Meet you at lunch?"**   
**Dawson nodded, she smiled and walked off to history class. Dawson watched her leave, his eyes watching her for the longest time, they only advanced to Jen once she cleared her throat loudly.******

**"He dumped her? Why?"**   
**Dawson put his backpack on and bit his bottom lip not knowing how to really describe the whole situation Jen, it was the kind of situation where you had to be there to understand it.**   
**"It's complicated"**   
**With those two words Dawson walked off towards English class. Jen watched Dawson leave and then turned to Jack who had made his way over to her.******

**"Oh great. Joey and Dawson are going down that path again."**   
**Jack looked at Jen confused.**   
**"What path?"**   
**Jen pulled Jack with her.**   
**"The path to disaster. They are falling in love with each other again, well they never stopped loving each other but they are going down that path again, they're going to give their relationship another try"******

**Dawson looked up at the clock and smiled relieved when he heard the class bell ringing telling him that the class was over. Dawson grabbed his books and practically ran out of science class, he didn't want someone to ask him to stay back, he just wanted to get out. He had felt Pacey staring at him throughout the whole class, he felt Pacey's eyes burning a hole in the back of his head. Dawson looked at his watch and smiled again, it was lunchtime. Dawson walked into the cafeteria searching for Joey, he felt his heart skip a beat when he saw her, she was sitting at the cafeteria table that they used to sit at when they were going out, her hair was down from the ponytail and a few strands of her hair fell in her face, she stared down at the lunch. Dawson felt an old feeling enter his body, the feeling he used to have everyday when he used to be with her, he used to count the minutes until lunch, he would practically run out of class and into the cafeteria pushing people out of his way, and he would only stop acting like a maniac when he got to *their* table, it was like it was happening all over again and they weren't even together.**   
**"Hey there"**   
**Joey looked up from her lunch and smiled big when she saw Dawson.**   
**"Hey"**   
**Dawson sat down next to Joey and pulled out a paper bag.**   
**"You brought your own lunch Dawson? What happened to living through the school lunches because they were a part of the high school experience?"**   
**Dawson took out a peanut and butter sandwich.**   
**"I was a naive boy back then Jo"**   
**Joey cracked a smile and pulled out a paper bag, Dawson laughed.**   
**"I was hiding it, I hate school lunches"******

**Pacey got his lunch and walked over to the table Jack and Jen were sitting at and threw his tray down.**   
**"Ugh, is it just me or do these lunches get more gross everyday?"**   
**Pacey looked up from his food when he didn't hear Jen or Jack say anything, he looked at them and then turned his head to where they were looking and he froze at what he saw.******

**Joey and Dawson.**


	4. ~*Love's Confusing*~

**"Just like Old Times"**   
**Chapter 4-**   
**By Dannette Lawrence**

**Summary: Things start to get even more stickier when Jen gets involved with the Dawson and Joey situation.**

**Pacey blinked but he didn't dare to tear his gaze away from Joey and Dawson, he didn't want to miss one thing… one facial expression… one giggle… one smile. God she was really laughing; when he had seen her last she was crying, begging for him to come back, not to leave her and now one day later she was laughing and smiling, a version of the old Joey Potter… the one that was always rolling her eyes and laughing at something Dawson Leery was saying; Pacey hadn't seen that Joey Potter for a long time, he had thought that the old Joey Potter was gone forever but today he saw the old Joey Potter and she was beautiful… yes she was beautiful and Dawson was the cause of her beauty. Pacey had always knew that a huge part of Joey would always love Dawson but until what he was witnessing now… a smiling Joey who was rolling her eyes about something… he didn't know how right he was, it wasn't just a little part of Joey that belonged to Dawson, it was a huge part that belonged to him, she had always belonged to him and he knew that, he had always hoped things would of changed over time but he knew he could never make her smile the way _he_ did. Dawson always knew how to make Joey smile the biggest smile, he always knew how to make her laugh so hard until her brown eyes would tear up, he knew how to make her roll her eyes and then laugh it off, he knew how to make her jump out of her skin over the stupidest things… Dawson knew how to make Joey… well he knew how to make her be herself… Dawson knew how to make her happy… not him. He wasn't the one that made Joey happy and that hurt beyond words, for the past few months he had tried everything to get Joey to be happy, to laugh the way she was laughing right now and he had failed miserably, he hated the power Dawson had over her, why did Dawson have to be the one that made her happy? Why couldn't he be that special guy for her? Why couldn't he be the one that could know what she was thinking by just staring into her brown eyes? Why couldn't he be the one that knew the mood of her smiles? Why couldn't he be what Dawson was and still is to her?**   
**"I've suddenly lost my appetite"**   
**Pacey's voice seemed so little and alone, he turned to Jack and Jen who had advanced their gazes at Pacey. Pacey pushed himself up and grabbed his tray and threw it in the garbage can on his way out of the cafeteria.**

**Jack and Jen watched after Pacey sadly; Jen shook her head. This was so like Dawson and Joey; they realize that they're still in love with each other while everyone else got the short end of the stick and their hearts broken. Jen knew all too well how it was to have her heart broken by Joey and Dawson; she knew it too well. She had loved Dawson, she had loved him more then she had let on and for a while she had Dawson's attention but she knew it was more then friends with Joey and god she was 100% right. She was the one who showed Dawson who he was really in love with and damn it she hated that she had to be that person for him… just the friend. Jen had done everything to get Dawson Leery back but even when Joey wasn't his girlfriend he loved her, Dawson loved Joey with all the strength in his heart… all his dazed lovesick puppy dog looks were for her, his goofy grins were for her, his creative romance plans were for her… everything Dawson Leery had was for Joey Potter.**   
**"If we think things are complicated right now wait until they declare their love for each other… now that will be a hoot"**   
**Jack stared at Jen as she threw a dirty look towards Joey and Dawson; Jack shook his head and looked down at his tray of school cafeteria food. Jack was Jen's friend but what Jen didn't understand at times was that he was also Joey's friend. Actually he was Joey's friend first, when he had thought everyone had given up on him and was ashamed of him Joey Potter proved him wrong. She could have yelled at him when he told her he was gay, she could of screamed and told him to walk out of her life and never come back, she could of hit him and said she was ashamed to look at him and that he disgusted her but she didn't… she smiled at him, she said thank you and she loved him no matter what he did.**   
**"You can't control love… love controls you"**   
**Jack's voice was a whisper but it had reached Jen's ears.**

**"Dawson Leery you are not funny!!"**   
**Joey threw a rolled up napkin at Dawson as she continued to laugh; the laughter had finally calmed down and Joey was wiping away tears of laughter that had spilled out of her eyes as she and Dawson were having their laughter fit. Dawson smiled and finished the last bite of his sandwich and looked up from his brown paper bag, which his eaten lunch was in and stared at Joey. After all the events of last 2 days she was still beautiful as ever… her hair was gently lying against her slender shoulders, her face was glowing and when she smiled… things didn't seem so complicated anymore. Dawson looked away from Joey and looked at the oval cream-colored clock that hung on the school cafeteria's wall and groaned.**   
**"Great… Science class awaits… ugh"**   
**Joey smirked as her and Dawson walked over to the big blue garbage can and threw their remaining garbage in the garbage can and proceeded to walk out of the cafeteria.**   
**"The only reason you hate science class so much is because that's the only class you aren't passing with flying colors"**   
**Dawson pushed Joey.**   
**"Well excuse me… I'm not the perfect student like you Jo"**   
**Joey rolled her eyes.**   
**"Well no one can be perfect"**   
**"Except you right?"**   
**Joey looked at Dawson.**   
**"Yeah I'm the exception"**   
**"Uh huh sure Josephine"**   
**Joey glared at Dawson.**   
**"Take it back, no one calls me that"**   
**"Not taking it back, sorry"**   
**"I warned you"**   
**Dawson saw the look on Joey's face and took off running to science class with her shortly behind him.**

**Joey laughed as she walked past science class; she threw Dawson a look and smirked when he returned the look. Joey smiled but then remembered that she was already late for history class.**   
**"Great"**   
**Joey took off running, she slid around a corner and stopped running and walked in history class calmly.**   
**"I'm so sorry Mr. Turner… girl problems"**   
**Mr. Turner, the history teacher, arched his eyebrows but nodded and motioned for Joey to just take a seat as he went back to the chalkboard, writing something down with the squeaky white chalk.**   
**"Hey Jo, saved you a seat"**   
**Joey looked over at Jack and smiled at him and sat down next to him and threw her backpack to the floor, she let out a very tired and aggravated sigh and turned to Jack.**   
**"Hey how was the survival thing?"**   
**Jack shrugged and then sufficed out a laugh.**   
**"Very horrible. I had to have my dad come and get me"**   
**Joey laughed.**   
**"How are you? I heard you and Pacey are no longer going out"**   
**Joey blanched for a second; before Jack would be the first one to know about her and Pacey's breakup, she would of called him and gave him all the details but it was no surprise that they had grown apart ever since he became friends with Jen.**   
**"Better then I was last night. Dawson---"**   
**Joey stopped talking when she saw Jack arch his eyebrows.**   
**"What?"**   
**Jack arched his eyebrows up higher.**   
**"Dawson huh? What are you and our blonde friend calling yourselves lately? Just friends? Platonic?"**   
**Joey swatted at Jack.**   
**"What about you and Toby?"**   
**Jack made a face.**   
**"He invited me to go to bowling tonight, but I had to say no, I have no partner and I am definitely not brining Jen"**   
**Joey smirked.**   
**"Well take me then"**   
**"You don't know how to bowl"**   
**"I'll learn"**   
**Jack hesitated for a second and then smiled big.**   
**"Okay partner"**   
**Joey and Jack stared at each other for the longest time before laughing and turning their attention to their teacher.**   
**"You are so telling me all the details tonight"**   
**Joey rolled her eyes and then nodded.**   
**"Okay but pay attention to the teacher, we'll get attention"**   
**"All the details"**   
**Joey nodded.**   
**"I promise"**

**Dawson fidgeted in his seat; he really didn't want to be here, he wanted to be out of class and in his room… with Joey. Dawson smirked; where did that thought come from?**   
**"Are you and Joey back together?"**   
**Dawson looked up from his hands and stared at Jen who was sitting next to him.**   
**"What?"**   
**Jen rolled her eyes.**   
**"Are you and Joey back together?"**   
**"None of your business"**   
**Dawson turned away from a hurt Jen… why was he so offensive? It's just a question Dawson told himself… just a question… yeah just a question that changes everything.**


End file.
